CHERRY DIDN’T KNOW how much time passed before she cried herself out. She knew that would not be the end of her tears, not for a long time, but for the moment she had none left. She lifted her face from Aubriot’s chest. His shirt was soaked through with her tears and an embarrassing amount of mucus.
She looked across at the hospital room window, her gaze avoiding the motionless figure lying in the bed. At some point, Meredith had arrived. Now she was sitting with her father in silence.
Through the window, Cherry saw the daylight was waning. Had the first day of her return to Concordia nearly passed already?
Aubriot pulled his shirt out from his pants and wiped her face with a dry part of it.
“You look a mess,” he said.
“Thanks,” said Cherry.
He took her hand. “Come with me. I want to
